There's a report on the BBC site about low use of Welsh language services offered by businesses and public services and some of the comments made by WELSH PEOPLE just make me want to rip my hair out! (Or rip their hair out):
"I can speak five languages pretty well, but I find Welsh not only ugly to speak, but really difficult to pick up - I presume that's why most classes are several times a week". Clive Graham, Swansea.
For a start, a person who says any language is "ugly to speak" should have their tongue ripped out. Classes are several times a week idiot, because people see it as an important heritage to preserve, NO language is "really difficult to pick up" especially if you're living in the country where that language is spoken. Go take your 5 languages to where they speak them and get the fuck out of Wales, assfuck!
"Why oh why do we waste vast sums of money on trying to prop up the Welsh language. As a monoglot English speaking Welshman I am sick and fed up with funding bilingual roadsigns, dual language paperwork and having my children denied the option of learning a second foreign language because they have to learn Welsh." Dave H
I want to kill this person. Dave H. your children already speak a foreign language - ENGLISH! You are in WALES idiot.
"Take up of welsh language services is so low because people are allowed to make a FREE CHOICE as to what they speak and therefore chose English; despite attempts at ramming it down our throats. English is the international language of the World and being able to speak it is one of the single greatest 'life skills' any person on this planet can have."Andy, Cardiff
Another one I'd dearly love beat over the head with a Large Welsh Dictionary. Welsh rammed down our throats??? What about English, about 800 years of it being rammed down our throats, it's time we made a change.
Yes I feel strongly about this. And I am aware that this is terribly hypocritical of me, as I make my money from teaching the English language and you may be surprised to learn that I don't speak Welsh myself, I grew up during the time when it wasn't being promoted and encouraged (NOT "rammed down our throats"), at school Welsh lessons were twice a week and not obligatory after 3rd year. However I do believe that the Welsh language must be encouraged at all levels in all areas and I am also of the opinion that Welsh Language medium schools must be phased in and English medium phased out completely. I deeply regret now that I missed a marvelous opportunity to learn the language which would have opened up a whole new culture for me as the Portuguese language has for me here. I live in Brazil I learned and I speak fluent Portuguese. Those of you who live in Wales should learn Welsh; if you don't like it or think it's an ugly language go live in England with your saeson cousins.
Bugger it, it's not hypocritical at all! If I lived in Wales I'd make the strongest effort now to learn the language in a shorter time as possible. And I am learning through internet and cdrom. Not much demand for Welsh in Porto Alegre, though I'm considering moving down to Patagonia.
Yours HUFFED.
Now I can't go out in my Y Ddraig Goch t-shirts without people thinking I'm a rich fashion follower who buys Carmim clothes! YES, It makes me mad. Here's the link if any Welsh person wants to write an angry e-mail off to them, I just did.
